Happy Birthday Kaylee!

About ten years ago...

Ryan and I were taking Savannah to visit some family members. She was about six weeks old. We were in Ryan's truck and Savannah was in her car seat between us. We were stopped at a traffic light and both of us were staring at her in that lovestruck way that new parents are apt to do. Without looking away from her, I said "I'm ready for another one." I looked up and Ryan broke into the biggest grin I have ever seen. Our next baby came about in the usual way, but I will always believe that Kaylee's conception was in that smile. When you have two babies in one year, most people assume that one or the both of them were 'accidents'. Not so for us but I was surprised that it happened so quickly.

My pregnancy was uneventful. My ob-gyn was very impressed that I gained only 15 pounds. The fact that I had never lost the weight from my first pregnancy didn't seem to bother anyone but me. When I was 2 weeks overdue, the doc decided to induce me. I was really scared because Savannah's birth had been so traumatic for us both. I was anticipating a replay.

I arrived early on the morning of April 27. The nurses got the induction underway and I spent a few mildly uncomfortable hours as the contractions began. I was making pretty steady progress until after the epidural when I dilated from 4 to 9 centimeters in about 30 minutes. My mom and Ryan were with me and they were both a little surprised that I wasn't screaming in agony or begging one of them to kill me. The truth is, I felt absolutely nothing. The only issue I had was a constant fear that I was about to feel something. It never happened. I pushed for maybe a half hour and I watched Kaylee be born as if I were a spectator.

The nurses did whatever it is that they do to newborn babies, wrapped Kaylee in a pink blanket, handed her to me and wheeled us into a private room. Less than an hour after I had delivered, I was in a room with my baby. It was, without a doubt, my best birth experience of all three of my girls.